This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. BO2014A000169 filed Mar. 27, 2014, which application is incorporated by reference herein.
This invention relates to a machine for making and dispensing liquid and/or semi-liquid food products
More specifically, this invention relates to machines for making and dispensing food products which require a thermal treatment in their production cycle, such as, for example, ice creams, whipped cream, creams, chocolate, yogurt and the like.
Machines of this kind are the so-called “pasteurizers”, capable of mixing, cooking, pasteurizing, homogenizing, cooling, aging and storing under perfect conditions of hygiene, diverse specialty foods of the patisserie, ice cream and gourmet sectors.
Without limiting the scope of the invention, the following description will make specific reference to the above-mentioned pasteurizers.
Generally speaking, the pasteurizers comprise a tank for containing the product to be processed, at least one dispenser tap mounted at the bottom of the front of the tank and a stirrer mounted inside the tank for mixing the product.
According to known methods, the thermal treatment is generally performed by means of electrical resistors and/or a heating system based on a thermodynamic cycle.
The processing the product is therefore both of a mechanical type, by using the stirrer, and of a thermal type, using a heating unit and/or cooling unit.
The pasteurizers require frequent cleaning and sanitizing operations to prevent a proliferation of the bacterial charge, especially inside the tap where there can easily stagnate product residue.
Normally, the cleaning operations comprise the complete removal of the tap and its careful washing. However, this operation comprises a preliminary emptying of the tank, without which the removal of the tap would inevitably lead to an escape of product outside the tank.